About This Project

The tropical forests of Mauritius, once home to the famous Dodo, currently face another threat of multiple extinctions due to the invasion of strawberry guava which inhibits the growth of native plants by producing allelochemicals. Biochar (charcoal used as soil amendment) can absorb the allelochemicals given off by strawberry guava. We plan to conduct a field study in Mauritius to determine whether biochar can reduce the inhibitory effects of strawberry guava on endangered endemic plants.